


Hold Me Close

by Aki (Akiko_Natsuko)



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Comfort, Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, Fear, Fluff, M/M, Sleepy Cuddles
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-13
Updated: 2018-11-13
Packaged: 2019-08-22 18:39:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,134
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16603418
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Akiko_Natsuko/pseuds/Aki
Summary: A post-mission nap lasts longer than it should, but neither Shiro nor Keith are in any hurry to end the rare chance to cuddle.





	Hold Me Close

    Shiro grumbled under his breath as he felt something tickling his chin and nose, pulling him from a rare, peaceful slumber. He batted at it, refusing to open his eyes, knowing that the moment he did, the moment he acknowledged the real world, there would no going back to sleep. He had never been good at dropping off again after he woke up, but it had become a thousand times worse since his time with the Galra and the nearly constant attacks they faced these days, and he begrudged the slightest interruption. For a moment, it seemed to have worked, the sensation disappearing, and he sighed with relief, burrowing back into the comforting warmth of the covers and the warm, pliant body pressed against his and tried to let the drowsiness wash over him once more.

    He was just beginning to slip under when the tickling sensation reappeared, stronger this time, and he wrinkled his nose as he felt something soft and warm brushing against him. A low growl of irritation building up in the back of his throat as he batted at it again, only to feel it twitch more forcefully against his finger, and with an exasperated sigh he admitted defeat and opened his eyes to identify the guilty party.

   It took him a moment to place where he was, it always did these days, the terror of waking up with the Galra or adrift never leaving him. It didn’t help that they’d changed his room a few weeks ago. They’d all changed their rooms, finally admitting that they were in this for the long haul and that the long haul was a lot longer than they had ever let themselves think in the past. Some changes had been minor, just little touches to put their mark on the rooms. Others had been larger, like Lance’s wall that had been transformed into a large tank, full of fish that he could watch at night and pretend that he was near the Ocean, even though the fish were nothing like the ones they’d had on earth. Or Keith expanding his room into the next one so that he had room to practice, something he had been desperate for, reluctant to venture out too often when he lost control, and his Galra features appeared.

    Shiro hadn’t wanted many changes, it had been a long time since he’d had the freedom to change his quarters to what he wanted, and he hadn’t known what to do. However, the one change he had made was to ask for a fireplace. It wasn’t large, nothing like the one he remembered from his childhood home, but it was enough, even when the flames dancing in the middle of it were a soft turquoise, an Altean invention that bore no risk of burning down the Castle of Lions. It didn’t let off a lot of heat, but it was enough to tickle his skin with the warmth he had been denied so often with the Galra, and when he woke later at night in a panic, the light gave him something to focus on. A reassurance that he wasn’t adrift in the darkness any more. He looked to it now, still surprised to find it now, but feeling his irritation fading at the sight of it and he watched the flames dance for a few minutes before remembering what had woken him in the first place and glancing down.

    What little remained of his irritation disappeared in an instance, a soft smile creeping onto his lips as Keith snuffled and curled closer to him, a purple ear tickling his chin. Keith’s control over his Galra features faded when he slept, something that had worried him at one point, and had lead to a few awkward weeks where he had avoided Shiro, not wanting to remind Shiro of darker times. It had taken literally sitting on him, to make him listen to Shiro’s reassurances and even now he would shoot a panicked glance at him whenever he shifted. It was nice to see him pliant and relaxed, a look of utter contentment on his face, a soft noise that was a little too close to a purr for Shiro’s control, escaping as he nuzzled against him.

He could never hate this side of Keith.

    If he was honest with himself, he had feared it as well. Worried that he might react badly one day, have a flashback, flinch…anything to confirm Keith’s fear. However, it had never happened, because even when he was as close to a full Galra as he could get, staring up at Shiro with eyes of molten gold, he was still undeniably Keith.

    Shiro’s expression softened, and he couldn’t resist the urge to reach up and gently massage the twitching ears. Keith purred again, more loudly this time and butted against he gentle fingers and Shiro found himself having to bite his lips, unsure of whether he wanted to laugh or groan, although he didn’t pull back.

    It was only a few minutes before he felt Keith beginning to stir against him, ears twitching out of his reach and he paused, not letting his hand fall away as golden eyes crept open and peered up at him, sleepy and accusing all at once. “Were you petting me?” Keith demanded, trying to sound his usual stoic self, but having just woken and still feeling nice and warm, it came out cuter than anything and Shiro couldn’t stop himself from laughing, letting his fingers creep back to the twitching ears in answer, half expecting Keith to pull away now that he was awake. He could see his expression contorting as he considered it before his shoulders slumped in defeat and then Keith was leaning into his touch, a soft blush seeping into his cheeks as another purr slipped out. “Don’t laugh…” that protest was weaker than the former, and Shiro bit back another snort in favour of leaning down to press a kiss to dark hair.

 “Fine,” he murmured, not pulling away, instead nuzzling closer. “Are you hungry?” It was supposed to have been nothing more than a post-mission nap, but Shiro had a feeling they had slept a lot longer than that, and he had a sneaking suspicion that the others had conveniently forgotten his order to wake them in time for dinner. However, despite the faint stirrings of hunger, he regretted the words as soon as he had said them, reluctant to leave this warm sanctuary.

“Not yet,” Keith whispered, echoing his thoughts, arms tightening around Shiro. “I want to stay like this, just a little longer.” Shiro made no effort to hide his relief, kissing Keith again both on the head and then one ear and another, holding him close.

“I can live with that.”  


 


End file.
